Revised October 17, 2008

October 13, 2004

NOTICE:

THIS FIELD NOTICE IS PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" BASIS AND DOES NOT IMPLY ANY KIND OF GUARANTEE OR WARRANTY, INCLUDING THE WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY. YOUR USE OF THE INFORMATION ON THE FIELD NOTICE OR MATERIALS LINKED FROM THE FIELD NOTICE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. CISCO RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE OR UPDATE THIS FIELD NOTICE AT ANY TIME.

Problem Description

The DS3-12E and DS3N-12E cards raise a "COMIOXC" I/O card to XCON Communication Failure, TCCA to Shelf Slot Communications Failure, Equipment Fail alarm against the DS3E card or exhibit a toggling DS3E card status (active/loading/fail or standby/loading/fail). These are viewed in the Cisco Transport Controller craft interface if the DS3E card has a low voltage differential signaling (LVDS) receiver component that is susceptible to noise on the serial communications link (SCL). The SCL is used for a communications channel between the timing, communications and control (TCC) cards and the cross-connect (XCON) cards, and service (I/O) cards for control and status data. The SCL does not carry traffic.

The Active TCC card communicates with each I/O card and the Active XCON card to monitor the connectivity with each card. The Active XCON card checks for communication with the I/O cards, such as the DS3E, through the Active TCC card. If the XCON card does not receive a response from an I/O card, the XCON card instructs the TCC to raise a "COMIOXC" alarm.

The condition is not service affecting in systems deployed in protected DS3E configurations.

Background

There was a problem found with the LVDS receiver within the DS3-12E and DS3N-12E cards. The DS3-12E and DS3N-12E cards built with the susceptible LVDS receiver can raise a "COMIOXC" I/O card to XCON Communication Failure, TCCA to Shelf Slot Communications Failure, or Equipment Fail alarm against the DS3E card or exhibit a toggling DS3E card status (active/loading/fail or standby/loading/fail) in the Cisco Transport Controller.

Problem Symptom

Some Cisco ONS 15454 DS3-12E and DS3N-12E (DS3E) cards can raise a COMIOXC - I/O card to XCON Communication Failure alarm, TCCA to Shelf Slot Communications Failure, or Equipment Fail alarm against the DS3E card or exhibit a toggling CTC status (active/loading/fail or standby/loading/fail) due to the installation of a second source LVDS receiver with lower noise immunity.

The alarms are viewable from the CTC History pane by selecting the "Retrieve" radio button. The toggling status can be viewed in the Cisco Transport Controller user interface?s shelf view and observing the text next to the DS3E cards LED drawing.

The above condition in not service impacting in systems deployed with DS3E facility protection.

Workaround/Solution

There is no workaround for the card.

Replace the affected hardware. [OR] Cisco recommends a fix-on-fail strategy for this problem.

Although an upgrade program had previously been provided to replace potentially affected but otherwise working product, the upgrade program is now over and Cisco will only replace product which has actually failed.

The standard RMA process should be used to replace failed product.

How To Identify Hardware Levels

DS3E cards with serial numbers detailed in the "Random" column of the above Serial Number Table in this field notice, manufactured between February and September 2004, include the impacted SCL receiver and should be upgraded.

DS3E cards listed in the "Sequential" column of the above Serial Number Table in this field notice, manufactured beginning in June 2002, were built with SCL receivers from multiple vendors. These cards can be verified by following the procedure outlined below.

DS3E cards not exhibiting the above symptoms should be verified by side switching the TCC processor cards and watching for the above conditions. If the alarms or DS-3 card status toggleing is not observed before or after the TCC card side switch, the DS3E cards are not impacted by the condition.

To determine the Part Number, Hardware Revision and Serial Number of your ONS 15454 DS3-12E or DS3N-12E cards: Open Cisco Transport Controller. From the Shelf View, select Inventory From the Inventory tab, locate the DS3E/N boards and compare the information from the Inventory tab against the Products Affected section above.

(Click image to enlarge)

If you are using TL1 commands. 1. >ACT-USER:: 2. >RTRV-INV::ALL 3. >CANC-USER:: Compare the information from the TL1 inventory command against the Products Affected section above.

PCN

E079585

For More Information

If you require further assistance, or if you have any further questions regarding this field notice, please contact the Cisco Systems Technical Assistance Center (TAC) by one of the following methods: